Kyan Pascal Code Optimizer

[Table of Contents]

So far, the Code Optimizer Toolkit software and documentation (if they even exist) for the Atari 8-bit have not been found or archived.

The July/August 1986 Issue of the Apple Edition of the Kyan Software Inc. newsletter announced that the Apple II version of the Kyan Pascal Code Optimizer Toolkit would be available on August 1st, 1986. It required any Apple II with at least 64K and Kyan Pascal 2.x. It had a suggested retail price of $149.95 in 1986 (about $350 in 2020 dollars).

The Kyan Pascal Code Optimizer Toolkit is designed for the advanced programmer who needs to reduce the code size of an application program and/or increase its runtime speed. The Toolkit consists of two modules -- the Code Optimizer and source code for the Pascal Runtime Library.

The Optimizer performs two functions:

  • It modified the intermediate macro file generated by the compiler ("P.OUT") so that the Assembler generates "Program Specific Code" (i.e., code which includes only those Runtime Library routines which are specifically required by the program).
  • It replaces certain combinations of compiler-generated macros with optimizer macros which shorten code size and increase the runtime speed of the application program. (The areas most improved by the Optimizer are global variable accesses and record field calculations.)

The Optimizer can reduce the size of a program by fifty percent or more and, in some cases, double or triple the execution speed.

Runtime Library source offers programmers the following advantages:

  • The separate Kyan Pascal Runtime Library is no longer required on the disk. Now the application and the Pascal Runtime Library routines are combined in a single executable file.
  • The programmer can customize library routines (written in assembly languages source code) to optimize performance and/or meet the specific needs of the application program.

The Code Optimizer Toolkit is a valuable tool for those programmers who are writing large applications and/or are using advanced routines in their programs.

According to the Apple Oldies Website, the Kyan Pascal Code Optimizer Toolkit was one of several Kyan Pascal expansion disks that didn't come with a manual:




Trying Out The Apple II Code Optimizer Toolkit


To try out the Apple II Code Optimizer Toolkit on a Windows machine:


To view the contents of the Code Optimizer disk image:

  • Reboot the emulator (Apple Icon)
  • At the Kyan Pascal Main Menu press <return> to enter a command
  • Type "Filer"
  • Enter F for File Commands
  • Enter L for List ProDOS Directory
  • Enter "/OPTIMIZER" as the pathname



You should see eight files listed:

LIB - The Kyan Pascal runtime library
OP - The optimizer utility
OPLIB.MAIN1.I - Library source code text file
OPLIB.MAIN2.I - Library source code text file
OPLIB.PASCAL.I - Library source code text
SIEVE.P - Sample program to optimize
SIEVE.PC
SIEVE.OP

To run the Optimizer:

  • Reboot the emulator
  • At the Kyan Pascal Main Menu press <return> to enter a command
  • At the % prompt, enter "CD /OPTIMIZER" to change to the Optimizer directory
  • At the %prompt, enter "OP [p.out]", where p.out is the file to optimize (seems to lock up ... maybe it just takes a long time)

Kyan Pascal runtime library source code files extracted from the Apple II ProDOS Code Optimizer Toolkit disk image using CiderPress.

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